Winding apparatus



Sept. 22, 1942, 1.. CAMPBELL 2,296,421

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY A Sept 22, 1942 L. CAMPBELL 2,296,421

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WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 N N c Q a Q 1 Q INVENTOR Patented Sept. 22, 1942 WINDING APPARATUS Lester Campbell, Westfield, Mass, assignor to Foster Machine Company, Westfield, ,Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 1, 1940, Serial No. 332,724

19 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in winding machines and is particularly adapted for the winding of the novel and useful yarn cone packages disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 332,723, filed as of even date herewith.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part Will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the upper part of a winding machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 with parts broken away for clearness, and showing the position of the mechanism at the beginning of the winding operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the position of the parts near the end of the winding operation;

Fig. 4 is a partly diagrammatic side elevation of a cone package wound on said machine;

Fig. 5 is a. partly diagrammatic side elevation of a cone package wound on said machine with an enlarged fragmentary section of the nose of said cone shown bound by a portion of a circle;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partly diagrammatic cross-section of a package wound on said machine;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged diagrammatic section of the nose end of a cone package wound on said machine;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing a plurality of traverse outlines in a sequence embodying the invention;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic showing of the relative positions of the bends of yarn at the ends of the package; and

Fig. 10 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of a modified winding machine for winding a lipless cone package of uniform density.

The invention is directed to providing novel winding mechanism for winding yarn packages, particularly conical packages. One object is to provide a mechanism for winding an improved package of uniform yarn density as disclosed but not claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 304,499, filed November 15, 1939, now Patent No. 2,281,747.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved and efficient winding mechanism for winding the improved yarn cone packages disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 332,723, filed as of even date herewith. In my said improved cone packages, the formation of a detrimental lip or ridge in the layers of yarn at either or both ends of the cone is obviated by preventing the accumulation of the bulges formed by the bends of the'yarn due to reversals of the traversing movement. In my improved package the traverse of alternate layers or alternate groups of layers of yarn are spaced inwardly from the ends of the packages sothat accumulation of bulges at the end perimeters of the cone is avoided. By such alternate shortening and lengthening of the traverse at the nose end of the cone a series of cavities or voids is formed at the nose which tends to accommodate the space ordinarily occupied by the bulges of the reversed threads so that in the resultant form of the package at the nose there is no lip or ridge but a slight bevel or rounding toward the axis of the cone. At the base end a similar lengthening and shortening of the traverse is provided, but to a lesser degree, so that the reversed ends or bends in the yarn are alternately stepped back from the base so as to prevent an overlapping build up forming a lip, but insufficient to provide definite cavities which are frequently unnecessary and undesirable at the base.

The present invention provides novel and highly efiicient means for winding my improved or lipless cone package described above. The mechanism is simple and flexible so that a wide variety of modifications of the winding principle employed may be readily effected on said mechanism. Moreover the present invention comprises an improvement upon the Winding machine described and claimed in said Patent No. 2,281,747, in that I provide simple modified and additional means which enable said winding machine to perform the novel winding operation for forming my new, lipless conical or tubular package.

Referring particularly to the winding mechanism disclosed in said Patent No. 2,281,747 by my present invention I introduce an additional movement or positioning of the thread bar plate to control the position of the nose end, providing alternating recession and advance of the traverse of the strand at that end of the cone While providing similar traverse variations in a lesser or the same or greater degree at the base end of the cone. The mechanism and the control therefor which introduces said additional controlling action in the movement of the thread bar plate comprises a very simple mechanical addition to the mechanism of my said patent and also permits ready and rapid changes in operation to vary the recession-forming movements employed in winding different types of thread as and for the purposes described.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying draw ings, a winding machine of the type shown and described in my Patent No. 2,281,747, is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In general the winding means are the same as in said patent, comprising means for winding thread or other strand material onto a core from any desired supply through thread tensioning devices and under control of thread guiding means.

Thread is wound onto a rotating core of conical or other shape in helical coils of the desired constant or varying pitch to form selfsustaining packages and the thread is guided by being passed over or through a plurality of slots or elongated thread guiding surfaces which are relatively movable and have their slots or other thread guiding surfaces intersecting so that their relative movements accurately and positively control the position of the thread along the rotating package. In the preferred form of the invention means are provided for rotating a conical core at relatively high speed and the traverse of the thread or yarn along the rotating cores is controlled by a plurality of thread guiding members, one of which generally moves back and forth along the package while another is either fixed with reference to the surface of the package or may be angularly moved about an axis substantially normal to that surface. One of the thread" guiding members is preferably incontact with the surface of be mounted so that its thread guiding surface is movable angularly with reference to the package axis and surface.

The cooperating thread guiding member generally comprises a slotted member moving back and forth across the surface of the package, its

speed of reciprocation or oscillation relative to the rotation of the package spindle being determined by the number of coils of thread which are to form one of the helical layers of .the package. The thread guiding surface or slot of this member is preferably so positioned relative to the first thread guiding member that the 'two thread guiding slots or surfaces lie closely p plate 1 at a point medianly thereof.

adjacent to each other with their slots supertion of the slots or by a combination of such changes.

Referring now to the winding machine, a embodied a main stationary housing l supports the rotatable driving spindle 2 and a rotatable shaft 3 upon which is fastened the main traverse cam (not shown). connected to reciprocate the thread guide 5 carried by a guidway frame 6 which is mounted in the usual manner for swinging about the shaft 3, against the tension of a spring 8. A second thread guiding plate! is provided between the guide 5 and the surface of the package being wound on'spindle 2.

Thread guide 5 is connected for reciprocation by the main traverse cam through the traverse tube 9 which is slidably mounted on the guide rod It} carried on the swinging frame 6. The traverse tube 9 is connected tothe thread guide 5, this thread guide being reciprocable in close proximity to the package surface engaging the thread guide plate 1. Thread guiding means 5 is formed with a thread guiding slot 5 which is inclined more or less from the vertical, and plate 'i is formed with a thread guiding slot I which is more or less horizontal, these slots crossing each other in all their positions.

The upper edge of the plate 1 is notched as shown in Fig. 3 to provide a V-shaped entrance to the slot l between the ends of the plate.

Means are provided for varying the angular position of the slot in the plate 1 as the package increases in size during the winding operation and for this purpose a bracket [8 supports a short stud l9 upon which is rotatably mounted a double grooved pulley 20, bracket l8 being mounted on the guideway frame 6, and bracket 2| supporting one end each of the flexible steel bands 22* and 22 respectively fastened to the spindle bearing housing 23, and other ends of the steel bands 22 and 22* being wrapped around and fastened in the grooves of the pulley 29. A lever 24 provided with a series of holes 24' is fastened to one side of the grooved pulley 25, and variable length link 25 is connected at its lower end by ball joint 26 to one end of the thread guide plate 1, while its other end is pivotally mounted in one of the lever holes 2d. The angular position of the guideway is controlled in all its positions by the position of the swinging frame 6 through the steel bands 22 and 22 pulley 29 and the associatedparts.

The thread guide plate is pivotally mounted to incline the thread guideway by means of a variable positionable horizontal pivot stud 50 which projects from and is connected to the Said stud is pivotally supported by a straddle bearing 5! at the upper end of a swingable yoke lever 52. The other end of said lever 52 is pivotally supported by a screw stud 53 which is removably fastened to a depending portion 54 of the major thread-guide-platesupporting bar 55. Said bar 55 forms a major connecting support for the thread guiding plate '1, extending in a plane parallel thereto and being mounted on brackets 56 directly connecting it to the guideway frame 5.

It will be understood that a tapered end or pineapple package P, such as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, may be wound automatically by the construction hereinabove described, as more fully setforth in my earlier filed application Serial No. 304,499, now Patent No. 2,281,747. Briefly, the movement of the winding frame 6 outwardly as the diameter of the package builds up causes the thread guiding plate I to tilt about the axis 59 through the agency of the arm 25 and the movement of the grooved pulley 20 under the influence of the steel bands 22 and 22 The extreme positions of the plate I between the beginning of the package of maximum length and the final form of maximum diameter and minimum traverse are shown respectively in the full line positions of the plate I in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be understood that the change from the initial to the final position is accomplished gradually and proportionally to the growth of the package so that the taper has the desired shape, and that this shape can be varied by suitably choosing the dimensions, positions and proportions of the various parts.

It will further be understood that the shortening of the traverse of the thread from the maximum length to the minimum is efiected by a gradual rising of the nose end of the plate I and a simultaneous lowering of the base end thereof about the pivot 50 to impart a conical tapering at both ends of the package.

In accordance with the invention, I provide further means for imparting the variations or alternations in the length of successive traverses at the ends of the package as illustrated in Figs. to 9. Broadly described, the successive shortenings or recessions of the length of traverse from the nose end of the package are effected by imparting slight additional rising movements to the left hand or nose end of the thread guide bar 1, thereby to shorten by so much the traverse at that end. After each such rise the nose end of the bar is then permitted to return to its major inclination at that point of the package to thereby resume the full length of traverse to the nose. The pivoted end 26 of the thread guide bar 1 is in the meantime maintained at the same level. However a similar but lesser recession in the traverse at the base end of the package also occurs with each change in angle of the bar, due to the fact that a slight lowering movement occurs at that part of the thread guide bar, which is nearer to the pivot point 26. The extent and nature of the angular movement is indicated by the dotted line positions of the guide bar I in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring in detail to the mechanism for effecting this feature of the invention, it will be noted that the plate supporting stud 50 may be raised and lowered by imparting a lifting movement to the end of the yoke lever 52. For effecting this alternating rising and falling movement, I provide a cam 60 ported a follower Bl formed as a lug depending from the end of the arm 52. The cam 60 is suitably mounted on a short shaft 62 in the frame member 6 so as to rotate at any prescribed number of revolutions. Any suitable means may be provided to drive the pattern cam 60 and, as shown, a train of gears 65 and 65 inclusive transmit the power to the cam from the traverse cam shaft 3.

It will be clear that the effect of the pattern cam 68 is to change automatically the position of the nose end of the thread bar plate I a com paratively small distance so that the winding strand Y is alternately raised and lowered in the slanting, slotted traverse yarn guide 5. The slot in the traversing guide slants upward toward the base end of the package, so when the strand is raised by the auxiliary movement of the thread bar plate I, the slant in the slot prevents the strand from traversing clear to the extreme nose on the periphery of which is sup- I end of the winding package, thus winding shorter courses of yarn; this continues for a predetermined number of shortened yarn traverses which forms, by the absence of the yarn, a cavity C at the nose end, after which the thread bar plate 1 returns to its normal winding position and continues for a predetermined number of full length traverses, shown at D. At this stage in the winding another lobe on the pattern cam raises the nose end of the thread bar plate so the yarn is traversed its shortest lengths from the base toward the nose end. This shortened traverse forms cavities shown at E. Similarly the traverse toward the base end of the package is shortened on each lowering of the thread bar plate I, but to a lesser extent because of its greater proximity to the pivot point 26.

In Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown a package in which the cavities or voids C and E are of greater extent radially of the package, being formed by a plurality of layers of the shortened traverses interspersed by an equal number of layers of traverses of full length D. This form of package will be found effective in the winding of relatively coarse strands. It will be understood that such variations in the number of layers and/or in the length of the respective traverses will be determined and controlled by the shape of the particular cam 60 which is employed. In each case the shortening of the traverses at the nose end of the package will be reflected to a lesser extent in shortened traverses at the base, thus providing a series of minor set backs or steps S and S at that end, as shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modified mechanism for producing a pineapple shaped cone of substantially uniform density axially of the cone and also having the lip eliminating features hereinbefore described. As shown, a conical pineapple package P is wound to have a substantial uniform density throughout its length, that is from the nose to the base, and this is accomplished by varying the pitch of the wind so that the helices of yarn are spaced relatively far apart at the nose end and are spaced progressively closer together toward the base. Such winding is effected by accelerating the traverse of the strand toward the nose of the cone and decelerating it toward the base. By suitably calibrating the rate of movement with respect t the angle of inclination of the elements of the cone to its axis it will ba clear that the variations in density usually caused by the slope of the cone can be compensated for by the variation in pitch of the wind "long the cone, thereby producing a package of uniform density throughout its length. As shown, the uniform-density package so produced is also preferably provided with the lipeliminating traverse variations hereinbefore described.

As shown in Fig. 10 I provide mechanism for so varying the speed of traverse to provide the desired variation in pitch of the wind. For this purpose the thread bar 1 is provided with a curved thread guide slot Ill!) which is so inclined at various loci along its length as to efiect the variation in pitch of the wind shown. The curvature of the slot N10 for that purpose is also shown and described in my copending application Ser. No. 304,499, Figs, 25 and 25A. In accordance with the invention rising motions are also imparted to the thread bar plate 1 as hereinbefore described by the mechanism shown in Fig. 10 and numbered to correspond with the similar mechanisms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

thereby to effect the variations in traverse lengths required to eliminate the building up of lips on the package.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing itschief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In a yarn-winding machine in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, thread-guiding means for directin thread to the core to build up a package of helical windings said guiding means comprising a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates, means for automatically varying the length of traverse of the thread as the package diameter changes, and means for alternately shortening the traverse of the thread and restoring it to normal predetermined length to provide at the end of the package a succession of cavities or voids which prevent the building up of a radially extending lip or ridge.

2. In a yarn-windin machine in combintion means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, thread-guiding means for directing threadto the core to build up a package of helical windings said guiding means comprising a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates, means for automatically shortening the length of traverse of the thread as the package diameter increases to provide a bevel-ended conical package, and means for alternately shortening the traverse of the thread and restoring it to normal predetermined length at the'smaller end of the package to provide at said end of the package a succession of cavities or voids which prevent the building up of a radially extending lip or ridge.

3. In a, yarn-winding machine in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, thread-guiding means for directing thread to the core to build up a package of helical windings said guiding means comprising a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates, another thread-guiding member cooperating therewith to diminish the length of the traverse of the thread as the package diameter builds up, and means forrecurrently varying the position of said second member to alternately shorten the alongthe package, a thread guiding memher having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means for varying their relative inclinations proportionatelyto the diameter of the package and means for recurrently imparting a different inclination independent of that caused by the package diameter.

5. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on I which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including means. for traversing the thread back and forth along the package, means for varying the-length of. said traverse proportionately to the diameter of they package and means for varying the length of said traverse within lesser limits independently of the variation caused by the package diameter.

6. Winding apparatus including in, combination means for rotatably supporting a conical. core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move. toward and away from the core, said guiding means includin means for traversing the threadback and forth along the package, means for shortening said traverse proportionately to the diameter of the package to produce a conical package beveled at both ends and means for shortening the length of said traverse within lesser limits independently of the shortening caused by package diameter.

'7. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and'away from the core, said guiding means including means for traversing the thread back and forth along the package, means for shortening said traverse proportionately to the diameter of the package to produce a conical package beveled at both ends and means for recurrently shortening and restoring to normal the length of said traverse within lesser limits independently of'the package diameter.

8. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a, conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package, a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means for varying their relative inclinations proportionately to the diameter of the package to effect a, bevelling of the package ends, and means r' for recurrently imparting a different inclination to shorten the traversev of the thread at the nose of the package to produce cavities at said end.

9. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth alon the package, a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means controlled by the diameter of the package for tilting said surface about one axis with respect to the slot to effect a bevelled formation at the ends of the package and means for recurrently tilting said surface about a diiferent axis to shorten the traverse of the thread at one end ofthe package.

10. Windin apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package, a thread guiding member having a, guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means controlled by the diameter of the package to tilt said surface about a median axis to impart a pineapple formation to the package, and means for raising the nose end of said surface at intervals to recurrently shorten the traverse at said end.

11. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package, a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means controlled by the diameter of the package to tilt said surface about a median axis to impart a pineapple formation to the package, and a cam operated by the driving shaft of the winding machine for raising the nose end of said surface at intervals to recurrently shorten the traverse of the thread at said end.

12. In a yarn-winding machine in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, thread-guiding means for directing thread to the core to build up a package of helical windings said guiding means comprising a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates, another thread-guiding member cooperating therewith to diminish the length of the traverse of the thread as the package diameter builds up, and means for recurrently varying the position of said second member to alternately shorten the traverse of the thread at both ends of the package to a length less than that determined by the package diameter.

13. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package, a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means controlled by the diameter of the package to tilt said surface about a median axis to impart a pineapple formation to the package, and means for raising the nose end of said surface at intervals to recurrently shorten the traverse of the thread at both ends.

14. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package, a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means controlled by the diameter of the package to tilt said surface about a median axis to impart a pineapple formation to the package, and means for raising the nose end of said surface at intervals to recurrently shorten the traverse of the thread at said end and to shorten the traverse of the thread a lesser amount at the base end.

15. In a yarn-winding machine in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, thread-guiding means for directing thread to the core to build up a package of helical windings, said guiding means comprising a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates, means for automatically shortening the length of traverse of the thread as the package diameter increases to provide a bevel-ended conical package and means for accelerating the traverse of the thread toward the nose of the package and decelerating it toward the base to wind the thread in helices of decreasing pitch toward the base.

16. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including a slotted member movable back and forth along the package and a thread guiding member having a guiding surface relatively inclined to the slot, means for varying the relative inclinations of said slot and surface proportionately to the diameter of the package, said guiding surface being curved downwardly at either end to vary the pitch of the helical windings thereby to produce a package of substantially uniform density.

1'7. Winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a conical core on which a package is wound, and thread guiding means mounted to move toward and away from the core, said guiding means including means for traversing the thread back and forth along the package, means for shortening said traverse of the thread proportionately to the diameter of the package to produce a conical package beveled at both ends and means for recurrently shortening and restoring to normal the length of said traverse of the thread within lesser limits independently of the package diameter to eliminate formation of lips at the ends and means for progressively decreasing the pitch of the helical wind toward the base and increasing it toward the nose of the package to provide uniformity of package density.

18. Winding apparatus for forming an improved yarn package wherein a body of yarn is wound in crossed helices about a core to form a package, both ends of said package being formed by yarn traverses extending to said ends and interspersed by courses of traverses terminating short of said full-length traverses at both ends, said various traverses being repeated in a regular order to build up the package, said apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is wound, means for rotating said. core, and thread guiding means for laying thread along the core in crossed helices, said guiding means including a thread-carrying member traversable back and forth along the package as it rotates and means for varying the length of traverse of the thread to produce a package having traverses as aforesaid, said means including an inclined guiding surface cooperating with the traversable thread-carrying member and cam means for regularly and recurrently varying the inclination of said surface to change the length of the traverses of the thread.

19. A winding apparatus including in combination means for rotatably supporting a core on which a package is Wound, means for rotating said core, and thread guiding means for laying thread along the core in crossed helices, said guiding means including a member movable back and forth axially of the package and a member having an inclined guiding surface cooperating therewith and cam means operating independently of the varying diameter of the package for recurrently varying the inclination of said surface to shorten the traverse of thread at both ends of the package.

LESTER CAMPBELL. 

